Arab-American leaders seek understanding

County, Montgomery College offer month-long celebration

Montgomery County has celebrated Arab American Heritage Month for 10 years, starting two years before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But this year, some Arab-American community leaders are expressing a new hope for understanding and progress thanks to the election of President Obama.

"Because Obama used Hussein [his middle name] in his inauguration, we feel we have a new leader," said Kareem W. Shora, the national executive director for the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee. "When you stereotype one population over another, you're serving to hurt what this country is all about."

Shora was the keynote speaker at Montgomery College's Arab-American Heritage month kickoff event Thursday, an annual celebration which began in 2005. Later that evening, the county held its 10th annual Arab-American Heritage Month celebration in the Executive Office Building in Rockville.

Shora told a story about a meeting he attended several weeks ago in the West Wing of the White House. He called his mother as he was walking in, telling her where he was.

"She started to cry," Shora said. "It was just symbolic."

Other activities throughout the month at Montgomery College include a screening of "A Land Called Paradise," the 2008 winner in the One Nation Film Contest, on April 14 at the Germantown campus; a production of "I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I'm Afraid to Tell You," on April 24 at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus; and a performance of "A Land Twice Promised," by storyteller Noa Baum, an Israeli who began a dialogue with a Palestinian woman while living in the United States, on April 27 at the Rockville campus.

"These activities are designed to enhance our knowledge about Arab-American contributions," said Dr. Judy E. Ackerman, vice president and provost of the Rockville campus. "It's a wonderful opportunity to come together, learn, share and expand our experiences."

Dr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, president of the libertarian Muslim think-tank Minaret of Freedom Institute and a professor at the University of Maryland, spoke at the county's kickoff event.

"Montgomery County is a county with a lot of diversity in it, but of that diversity, the Arab-American population is relatively small," he said. "It's very significant that we've been recognized by the county. It shows that the spirit of community here is a very positive one."

Ahmad was more hesitant to say the Obama administration would mean significant change for the Arab-American community.

"As a symbol, it is extremely positive," he said of Obama using his middle name during the inauguration ceremony. "The degree to which his administration will make any substantive change is yet to be seen."

Lily Qi, the Asian-American and Middle-Eastern American liaison of the county's Office of Community Partnerships, said Arab-Americans are among the least understood of all Americans.

"Many Americans are surprised that two-thirds of Arab Americans are Christians," she said. "People often consider Middle Eastern, Arab and Muslims the same things. This program allows us to highlight this community and its many contributions to our country and human civilization."

Approximately 1 percent, or about 10,000 people, in the county are Arab American, Ahmad said. Approximately 70 percent of Arab Americans living in the United States are Christian, compared to 5 percent or 6 percent worldwide, he said.

For more information on Montgomery County's celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov or call the Office of Community Partnerships

at 240-777-2584.

For more information on Montgomery College's celebration, call Enas Elhanafi at 240-567-1759 or e-mail her at enas.elhanafi@